“…an excellent way to stand out from the crowd.” ~~B. Lynn Goodwin
Contests for IndieBooks
Why do writers enter an indie or self published book in a contest? What do they hope to gain?
- Recognition.
- Publicity.
- Acknowledgment that helps you stand out from the group.
Recently an agent–a fiction agent–state that my awards for memoir and YA made me stand out from the crowd. She made my day, and I know she wouldn’t have done that if she didn’t recognize the value.
Tons of writers enter these contests, so if you are a winner or a finalist you know your work is the cream of the crop, rising above many other entries. Agents, editors, and publishers will see you as a writers whose work is worth exploring. This is an excellent way to stand out from the crowd.
The contests below list some I’ve either won or been a finalist for. Please take a look, see what they offer, and if you have any questions, please click on the contact box and ask me.
Shelf Media Group
PenCraft Book Award
Indie Reader Discovery Awards
https://indiereader.com/product/indiereader-discovery-awards-entry-2023/
The Eric Hoffer Book Award
Independent Publishers Awards
https://secure.independentpublisher.com/cart/?program_id=4
The Benjamin Franklin Awards
https://www.ibpabenjaminfranklinaward.com
The Foreward Indies Awards
https://www.forewordreviews.com/awards/
The Next Generation Indie Book Awards
https://www.forewordreviews.com/awards/
The Best Indie Book Award
https://bestindiebookaward.com/live/enter-the-best-indie-book-award/
The National Indie Excellence Awards
https://www.indieexcellence.com
I found these on https://indiereader.com/2018/01/self-published-book-award/ and have entered two of the competitions.
Google “Awards for Independently Published Books to learn more. Feel free to contact the contests if you want to know how they pick their judges, why they charge fees, or how their winners and finalists are progressing in their literary careers.
“…consider writing Op Eds and sending them to newspapers around the country.” ~~B. Lynn Goodwin
Want to contribute to the Writing Advice page? Send us your pitch through the contact button on the home page. We like pieces that are short and specific.
Do you have opinions to share?
There’s so much going on in the world between Putin’s War in Ukraine, the January 6th Committee, the mid-term primaries, the Supreme Court, and Global Warming that this is the time to consider writing Op Eds and sending them to newspapers around the country.
You can find some concise and excellent advice for Op Eds at The OpEd Project. I’ve been getting their newsletter for a while, and they know what they’re doing. Here are the opening paragraphs from their page:
The suggestions below are simply that — suggestions. This is not a formula, but a guide to help you as you formulate your ideas.
For live feedback on your op-ed drafts and pitches, join us for our weekly Ask A Journalist virtual office hours. One of our master editors will live-edit a few drafts (chosen from among those you submit) and will answer your questions in real-time.
To go deeper, come to one of our virtual workshops. You will emerge with an op-ed draft, access to our national network of journalist mentors for individual follow-up, and a clearer idea of your potential to change the world.
See you in The Washington Post, The LA Times, or the San Francisco Chronicle? How about your local paper? You never know where it might lead. BTW, we’ll consider Op Eds for our current Flash Prose Contest.
No one can tell your story but you.
I came across this article about what the Sun Magazine seeks for its Readers Write section. Everyone is eligible to tell their story. These are some of the best mini-memoirs you’ll find anywhere. If you’re not familiar, I hope you’ll take a look.
- What story would you put in each frame?
- What if family stories were told in words instead of pictures?
Are we hoping you’ll send us your answers? Absolutely! Use the contact box on the home page. Can’t wait to hear from you.
How Many Books Do Readers Finish?
There’s some scary news, backed by statistics, in this article on Book Riot. What can you do about it? Share the news. Go to the top of this page and consider writing an Op Ed about it. Maybe you have an opinion about the benefits of finishing books? Or skipping print and listening to audio books? Hope you’ll share them with us. See instructions in bluish-purple above. (I realize the color could be different on your monitor.)
